Display case



EAQQM l2 May )V3 E924.

G. lHILGER DISPLAY CASE Filed Nov. 8, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 13 1924. HAWIRMZ G. HILGER DISPLAY CASE Filed N 85,920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented ay 13 1924..

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Geenen mman, or cmoaeo, ILLINoI-s.

DISPLAY CASE.

application med noveiber e, 1920. serial no. 422,444.

T o aZZ whom it may conce'ivt:

Be it known that I, GEORGE II1LGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Display Cases, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains to display cases for containing food products, such as meat,

,10 which must be kept at a low temperature order to be properly preserved.

rIhe general object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating system for show cases of a highly efcient character.

A further and more speciiic object of the invention is to provide a display case of the type indicated having means for maintaining a constant supply of cool dry air in the upper portion of the case in which is located the food products to be preserved.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means, for supporting the food products in the case in such a manner as to be readily accessible.

Still another object yof the invention is to provide a display case of the type referred to which is capable of'easy attachment to counters in use aswell as to counters in the course of construction.

To produce a construction capable of obtaining the objects of the invention thus set forth in a practical manner is a further and ancillary object of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical se'ctionvthrough a display case-embodying my invention, the case being shown in position upon the upper end of a counter such as' is-employed in'meat markets and Ithe like. Fig. 2 is a' horizontal section taken in the'plane of yline 2 ofl Fig.l1 but on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 isa fragmentary vertical sectional viewy through a 'portion of the refrigerating system illustratlng the man- -nerinfwhich a two-pipe"vertical conductor y y Ystructed infany suitable y and well known `manner, but preferably `ofglas`s,`afnd is se.

forfthe refrigerant is A`interposed in a continuous pipe line, the view being takensulostantially in* the plane of line 3.of Fig. 2.-

Fig4 is'a plan view of'a swinging supporting frame mountedinthe case. Fig. 5 isa vertical sectional view through said frame andy sa tray mounted` thereon illustrating the manner. in which the free endof aframe is tional view through the case but showing a slightly diEerent embodiment of the'invention. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the arm which serves as a connecting link between the frame and the door of the case and also as ameans for supporting the free end of the frame in the swinging movement thereof.

Referring to'Figs. 1 and 6l of the drawings, 10 designates the upper portion of a counter the top of which has been removed to permit of the insertion into its vupper end of my improved display case. Such case comprises generally a base portion 11 proyiding a tank 12 yfor the reception of a coollng medium, and an upper portion 13 of glass or other suitable material having a door 14 at its rear side. Supporting means, designated generally 15, is swingable in a horizontal plane into and out of the case and preferably connected with the `door so as to be operable thereby. 16 designates a coil of piping adapted to conduct a refrigerating agent through the base of the case for the purpose of absorbing heat from the cooling medium in the tank; and 17 and 17 designate two-pipe conductors interposed in the pipe line of the coil and extending upwardly into the upper portion 13 of the case to absorb theheat therein.

The base 11 of the caseis preferably of double-wall construction, formed by metallic sheeting 18 spaced apart to receive a ller 19 of suitable insulating material, such vas cork; and the base is shaped to provide laterally extending flanges 20y adapted vto resi-upon they upper edgesof the counter 10 lwhile, the base proper depends Minto" the counter.

` 'Ihe'uppery portion 13 ofthe case lis concured tothe baseso as to be rigidtherewzith. In` its rear'portion, said upper port1on has a door 14y mounted to swingen a verticalaxis,

shown theif cas' l as havingv mounted A,therei'l are identical in construction except that one is adapted for the left-hand side and one for the right-hand side. Accordingly, only one of such means need be described. W'hen y two supports are employed, I of course pro- `vide two doors 14 with which the supports the cases is such /as to provide for the connection of the adjacent case sections with a partition 23 therebetween.

The supporting means 15 for the food` products to be preserved preferably comprises a swinging supporting frame 24 formed of metal and of open work construction, and a top plate or tray 25 adapted to be removably mounted upon the supporting fra-me. Upon this tray 25 is placed the food roducts to be preserved. The supporting rame 24 is swingably mounted upon the upright conductor 17 as an axis, and to this end the frame is provided near one corner thereof with a bearing or bushing 26 adapted to receive the conductor 17. The bushing 26 is mounted upon a ball bearing 27 which in turn rests upon the upwardly extending stem of a T-itting 28 in the coil 16.

The. coil 16 (Figs. 2 and 7) enters the lcase at one end thereof, as shown at 29, and leaves the other end at the opposite corner, as shown at 30, and a plurality of T members 28 are interposed in .the pipe line between the inlet and outlet for each case and constructed to permit of the ypassage of the refrigerating agent through the conductors 17 and 17, as hereinafter set forth.

Stationarily mounted on the lpipe coil 16 is a track member 31, arcuate in form, upon which a noller 32 mounted upon the under side ofthe free end of an arm 33 is adapted to travel. Said arm is pivotally connected to one end of the door 14 near the lower portion thereof, and at its opposite end carries an upright pin 34 adapted tov enter a boss 35 depending from the frame 24.. The frame has a plurality of cross bars 36 by which the bushing 26 and boss 35 are carried, and between two of these cross bars of the frame is mounted a roller'37 which is adapted to operatively engage the upper surface of the-arm 33 (Figs. 2 and 5).

Ity will be seen that as the door l14 is swung outwardly, the supporting frame 24,

together with the 'tray 25, also swings outwardly, and in this movement the frame is and pul ed forwardly, the latch is released. i

The two-pipe conductors 17 vand 17a each comprises an. inner pipe section 39 and an outer pipe section 40. The inner pipe section has its lower end threaded into a web or partition 41 formed in the T-itting 28, and the lower end of the outer pipe sertion 40 communicates with a nipple 42 which is threaded into the upper or stein end of the fitting. The opposite ends of the cross portion of the fitting are connected with the piping of the coil' 16, as will be readilyunderstood. It will thus be observed that the arrangement is such that the refrigerating agent' passing through the pipe coil 16 in the directionV of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 finds its way through the nipple 42 into the outer pipe section 40 and in its eXpansion absorbs the heat from the atmosphere in the upper section 13 of the case and thence finds its way out through the inner pipe section 29 and the opposite end of thefitting from whence it travels through the piping to the next conductor, and finally to the compressor. arrangement it will be apparent that not only is the heat withdrawn from the cool- By this construction and miv stantially greater diameter than the con.

ductor's as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7. -It will also be apparent that any moisture in the atmospherein the upper section 13 of the` case .will accumulate upon the outer.

puipe section 40, so that the air is maintained in a substantially dry state and hence moisturel and frost will not accumfulate upon the mit of their swinging. movement into and out of the case.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7, a single supporting means 15 is mounted in a section of the case, the latter being in this instance made relatively shorter than where two of the supporting means 15 are employed. Tiff.- supporting frame 24', the tray 25 and the coil `16 are accordingly made of somewhat greater dimensions than where two of the supporting means are employed. The operation, however, lis identical in each instance.

The operation of the refrigerating system will, it is believed, be understood from the foregoing. The refrigerating agent, such as ammonia gas, is introduced into the coil 16 through the inlet 29 which leads either from the coil in the next adjacent sec-tion, or from a compressor or other source of gas supply. From the coil the refrigerant flows through the two pipe conductors 17 and 17a, which are interposed in the coil so that the gas Hows first upward- 1y into 'the outer pipe section, in which it 4into the coil o expands to absorb the heat and moisture from the atmosphere of the upper portion of the case, and then finds an outlet through the inner pipe section 39 and continues on.

its way through the coil 16 to the next upright conductor. l Finally the refrigerating agent is dischar ed from the outlet either the next adjacent section ,l or is returned to the compressor'. By reason of the absorption of the heat and moisture fromthe upper portion of the display case, the food products are kept free from moisture and otherwise properly preserved. The air in the immediate vicinity of the conductor is cooled and descends to the bottom of the case, and atpoints removed from the conductors, the air rises as shown by thearrows in Figs. 1 andl 6. Thus a ycontinuous circulation -of the air is maintained. yThe passage Yof the refrigerant through the coils 16 in the base portion of the case tends to absorb the heat from the brine or other cooling medium in the tank 12 so that the lower is properly refrigerated.

y the peculiar association of the supporting means for the food products with the door, the operation of withdrawing the food products from the case is greatly simi pliiied and by reason of the saving in time consumed, a saving in-the operation of the refrigerating system is effected. The' construction of the supporting means and associated parts is also of an advantageous character, the operation being smooth and easy, requiring the expenditure 'of a minimum of effort.

By reason of the peculiar construction of the case, it will be apparent thatit is capable of being quickly and easily mounted upon a counter in use, and the sectional 'construction 0f thev Case is desirable in lthat tion, a display section, whichr quantities of food to be preserved portion of the caseV 'it facilitates the expansion or reduction in 1. A display case comprising, in combination, va base portion and an upper portion, the base portion providing a tank for the reception of a cooling medium, means for providing a support for food products in the upper portion, a continuous pipe coil mounted in said base so as to be immersed in the cooling medium in said tank, and a conductor extending above said supporting means com-prising two pipe sections communicating with each other at one end .and connected at their opposite ends with opposed portions of the continuous coil whereby said conductor is interposed7 in the coil.

2. A display case comprising, in combination, a base section, a horizontal conductor in the form of a coil for a refrigerant such as ammonia gas, a support above said coil, and one or more vertical conductors extending into the upper section of the case above said support'and comprising two ipe sections disposed one within the other, the inner pipe section being open at its upper end and at its lower end connected with one portion of said coil and the outer pipe section being closed at its upper end and communicating at its lower end with the opposite section of the coil, whereby the flow of gas through the coil and the conductor is Y continuous.

3. A display case comprising, in combinaa` tray or table upon may be placed, means for swingably supporting the table in the display section of the case to move about a vertical axis, means located coaxially with said vertical axis of said swinging table for absorbing moisture and heat from the display section of the saidl table having'an aperture for receiving said pipe of greater diameter than the pipe whereby to permit of the passage of air downwardly along the pipe.

4. A display case comprising, in combina- -tion,.a base section, and an upper or display case, said means including an upright pipe,

and with'one Side of the partition and an L end inner pipe section opening at its upper end into the outer pipe section and entered 'at its lower end through said partition so as to communicate with the opposite end of the yT-fitting. i

5. A display case comprising, in combination, a refrigerating pipe in the lower portionfof thecase having interposed therein a T-itting with its stem extending upwardly and having a transverse partition therein, an upright pipe section closed at its upper and communicating at its lower end with said stem of the tting, an inner pipe Section open at its upper end and entered at its lower end through said partition, and

- means mounted above the refrigerating pipe in the lower portion of the case coaxially of said pip`e sections and bearing upon the stem of said fitting for supporting articles to be preserved.

6. A display case comprising, in combination, a display section, a horizontal pipe mounted in the lower portion of the case and having interposed therein a T-fitting having an upwardly extending stem, a pipe closed at its upper end and communicating at itslower end with said stem, a support inthe display section for food or other products to be preserved, and means surrounding said pipe and bearing upon said stem for mounting said support for swing- A ing movement into and out of the case.

7. A display case comprising, in combination, a base section and an upper or display section, a horizontal pipe section mounted inthe base section and having a T-fitting interposed therein with itsstem extending upwardly, means for conductinga refrigerant from said pipe into the display section including arpipe entered at its lower end in said stein of the fitting, a support above said horizontal pipe for the articles to bedispl'ayed comprising a frame having a bearing bushing, a bearing interposed between said bushing and said stem of the fitting and surrounding said pipe, and means for moving the frame on said bearing.

8. A display case of the character t described comprising, in combination, an upper display section having a swingable frame adapted to support products to be re- `frigerated and capable ofswinging into and out of the case, said display, section having a door through which said frame is adapted to move, a refrigerating coil mounted horizontally beneath said frame to permit of the swinging movements thereof, and meansv carried by said coil for supporting said frame .in its swinging movements relative thereto;

9. A display case of the character described comprising, in combination, an upper display section having a swingable frame adapted to support products to be refrigerated and capable of swinging into and out of the case, said display section having a door through which said frame is adapted to move, a refrigerating coil extending horiper display section having a swingable Y frame adapted to support products to be refrigerated and capable of swinging into and out of the case, said display section having a door through which said frame is adapted to move, a refrigerating coil mounted horizontally beneath said frame to permit of the swinging movements thereof, a track on said coil, and a roller on said frame bearing on said track to facilitate movement of said frame relative to said coil.`

11. A refrigerating display case of the character described comprising, in combination, an upper display section, a swingable table for supporting foodproducts to be preserved mounted to swing into and out of said case, a door`opening adjacent said table permitting the passage of said table, a link pivotally connected to said door and table, a refrigerating coil extending horizontally in said case beneath said table, a track on saidcoil, and a roller on said link bearing on said track to 'facilitate movement of said support relative to said coil.

12. A. refrigerating display case of the character described comprising, in combination, an upper display section; a swingable table for supporting food products to be preserved mounted to oswing into and outof said case, a door opening adjacent said table permitting the passage of saidtable, a link pivotally connected to said door and table, a refrigerating coil extending horizontally in said case beneath said table, a track on said coil, and a pair of rollers constituting anti-friction' means for facilitating lrelative movement between the lparts when said table is swung relative to said coil, one of said rollers being carried by said table and riding on said link and the other of said rollers being carried on said link and riding on said track.

13. The combination with a counter hav- 'ing an open upper end, of a display case having a lower or base portion adapted to fit into and be supported by the said open end ofthe counter, an upper display section supported upon the base section, said display section having in its lower portion a support for food'products and the like adapted to form with the base section a substantially closed chamber, and a refrigeration uniten' closed within said chamber.

14. A display case of the character described comprlsing, in combination, an up,

per display section and a lower or base secdoor with which said frame is operatively tion. a refrigerafing coil arranged horizonconnected so as to move into an accessible tally in the upper portion of said base secposition ont of the case when the door is 10 tion. anda frame mounted directly above opened.

5 said coil in the lower portion of the display In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set section and adapted to swing into and out my hand. of the case, said display section having a GEORGE HILGER. 

